Strawberry plant named ‘Vivaldi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Strawberry plant named ‘Vivaldi’, characterized by its compact and semi-upright plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; uniform fruit ripening; medium-sized conical fruits that are glossy and bright red in color; pleasant fruit aroma and taste; excellent fruit postharvest longevity; and resistance to  Botrytis cinerea  and  Phytophthora cactorum.

Botanical designation: Fragaria×ananassa.

Cultivar denomination: ‘VIVALDI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Strawberry plant, botanically known as Fragaria×ananassa and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Vivaldi’.

The new Strawberry plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Elst, Gelderland, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new early-ripening Strawberry plants with good fruit quality, ease of harvesting, good postharvest longevity and resistance to pathogens.

The new Strawberry plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor during the spring of 2003 of a proprietary Strawberry selection identified as code name E1993-053, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Strawberry ‘Sonata’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,000, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Strawberry plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Elst, Gelderland, The Netherlands during the summer of 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Strawberry plant by cuttings in a controlled environment at Elst, Gelderland, The Netherlands since the autumn of 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Strawberry plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Strawberry have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Vivaldi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Vivaldi’ as a new and distinct Strawberry plant:

-   -   1. Compact and semi-upright plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Uniform fruit ripening.     -   4. Medium-sized conical fruits that are glossy and bright red in         color.     -   5. Pleasant fruit aroma and taste.     -   6. Excellent fruit postharvest longevity.     -   7. Resistant to Botrytis cinerea and Phytophthora cactorum.

Plants of the new Strawberry differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Fruits of plants of the new Strawberry are conical in shape         whereas fruits of plants of the female parent selection are         round in shape.     -   2. Plants of the new Strawberry and the female parent selection         differ in fruit color as plants of the female parent selection         have darker red-colored fruits.

Plants of the new Strawberry differ from plants of the male parent, ‘Sonata’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Strawberry are more upright, more vigorous         and larger than plants of ‘Sonata’.     -   2. Plants of the new Strawberry have larger leaves with three         leaflets per leaf whereas plants of ‘Sonata’ have three to five         leaflets per leaf.     -   3. Plants of the new Strawberry flower later than plants of         ‘Sonata’.     -   4. Plants of the new Strawberry and ‘Sonata’ differ in fruit         color as plants of ‘Sonata’ produce orange-colored fruits.     -   5. Fruits of plants of the new Strawberry are firmer than fruits         of plants of ‘Sonata’.

Plants of the new Strawberry can be compared to plants of Strawberry ‘Holiday’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Strawberry differed primarily from plants of ‘Holiday’ in fruit shape as fruits of plants of ‘Holiday’ were round.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Strawberry plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Strawberry plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of typical fruiting plants of ‘Vivaldi’ grown in a hydroponic system.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical developing and fully opened flowers of ‘Vivaldi’.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of typical developing and developed fruits of ‘Vivaldi’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring and summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Eck en Wiel, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Strawberry production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 23° C. and night temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 12° C. Plants were 2.5 months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Fragaria×ananassa ‘Vivaldi’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Fragaria×ananassa identified as code name E1993-053, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Fragaria×ananassa ‘Sonata’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,000. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About twelve             days at soil temperatures ranging from 18° to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; creamy white             to white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial; compact and semi-upright             plant habit; leaves basal; moderately vigorous to vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 25 to 30 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 35 to 40 cm. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Basal rosette; compound with typically three             leaflets per leaf.         -   Leaflet length.—About 9 to 12 cm.         -   Leaflet width.—About 8 to 11 cm.         -   Leaflet shape.—Broadly ovate.         -   Leaflet apex.—Obtuse to acute.         -   Leaflet base.—Obtuse to rounded.         -   Leaflet margin.—Serrated to lobed.         -   Leaflet texture, upper surface.—Pubescent.         -   Leaflet texture, lower surface.—Pubescent, rough.         -   Leaflet venation.—Pinnate.         -   Leaflet color.—Developing leaflets, upper surface: Close to             137A. Developing leaflets, lower surface: Close to 138A.             Fully expanded leaflets, upper surface: Close to between             137A and 139A; venation, close to 144C. Fully expanded             leaflets, lower surface: Close to 138A; venation, close to             144C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 9 to 15 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 to             5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower form and flowering habit.—Rotate flowers arranged             singly at lateral apices; flowers held at the foliar plane.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower in April and May in             The Netherlands.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.5 to 3.5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 5 mm.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of six petals; petals             imbricate. Length: About 8 mm to 12 mm. Width: About 8 mm to             12 mm. Shape: Round to broadly ovate. Apex: Rounded. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 155D. When opening and             fully opened, lower surface: Close to 155D.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement and calyx description: Single whorl of             eight to twelve sepals; calyx, star-shaped; sepals are             orientated upwards from the fruit. Length: About 5 mm to             8 mm. Width: About 3 mm to 5 mm. Shape: Lanceolate to ovate.             Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 137A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7 cm to 10 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm             to 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close             to 144B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 cm to 5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm             to 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close             to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 25.             Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Lanceolate to             elliptic. Anther color: Close to 14B. Pollen amount:             Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 15C. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: About 30. Pistil length: About 1 mm to 2 mm. Stigma             shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Close to 5A. Fruits:             Postharvest longevity: Long, about ten days at temperatures             about 7° C. Length: About 4 cm to 6 cm. Diameter: About 3 cm             to 6 cm. Shape: Conical. Typical fruit weight per fruit:             About 19.3 grams. Observed fruit weight per fruit: About             18.3 grams. Typical fruit weight per plant: About 1,280             grams. Observed fruit weight per plant: About 1,145 grams.             Firmness: Firm. Fragrance, taste: Pleasant; good balance             between sweetness and acidity. Luster: Glossy. Surface             unevenness: Absent or very weak. Color, surface: Close to             44A. Color, flesh: Close to 41A. Achene position: Slightly             indented to indented. Achene color: At early fruiting stage,             close to 1A; with maturity, color is closer to 41A and 42A. -   Disease and pest resistance: Plants of the new Strawberry have been     observed to be resistant to Botrytis cinerea and Phytophthora     cactorum. Fruits of plants of the new Strawberry have been observed     to be resistant to Mildew pathogens. Plants of the new Strawberry     have not been observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens     common to Strawberry plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Strawberry plant named ‘Vivaldi’ as illustrated and described. 